Fly-trapping device.



G. BARR.

FLY TRAPPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1011.

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FLY TRAPPING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED 11136.23, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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FLY TRAPPING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FIPED AUG. 23, 1911. 11,035,845. Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Iavezztor. j a/m/ OOLUM'IA 'LANOORAPII CO, WAININOYON. D fin UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GREELEY BARR, OF PRESTON, MINNESOTA.

FLY-TRAPPING DEVICE.

7 0 all whom 2'25 may concern Be it known that I, GREELEY BARR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Preston, in the county of Fillmore and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fly-Trapping Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved fly trap or catcher and to this end the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in front elevation with some parts sectioned and some parts broken away showing the improved trap. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the improved trap with some parts broken away with other parts sectioned and with still other parts removed; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view in rear elevation illustrating the actuating mechanism of the trap with some parts being indicated by dotted lines only, and some parts being sectioned; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the so-called top plate, on a small scale, the supports therefor being sectioned on the line Mm of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a detail view in vertical section taken on the irregular line m m of Fig. 1.

The numeral 1 indicates a lower platform, which, as shown, is round in plan and is supported by short legs 2.

The numeral 3 indicates a horizontally disposed top plate, which is supported from the platform 1 by posts 4 and, as shown, is also round in plan. At a point, which is eccentric to the axis of the plate 3, it is provided with a large passage 5 preferably surrounded by an up-turned flange 6. This passage 5 is normally closed by means of an annular disklike shutter 5 having a horizontally projecting stem 5*. The shutter, 5 is mounted for horizontal swinging movement on the under side of the top plate 3, and is yieldingly held in a closed position by means of a light coiled sprin 5. On the free end of the stem 5 is a weight 5 which acts as a retarding de- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 23, 1911.

Patented Aug. 20,1912.

Serial No. 645,599.

vice to prevent the shutter 5 from closing too fast. Secured to the stem 5 is an upwardly projecting short shaft 5 terminating at its upper end in a laterally projecting operating finger 5, the purpose of which will presently appear. The shaft 5 is 1'0- tatively mounted in a perforation formed in the top plate 3 and in a bracket 5 secured to the upper surface of the top plate 3. An upright reticulate cylindrical case 7, preferably formed from window screen, is detachably seated at its lower end around the collar 6. At its upper end the cylindrical case 7 is provided with a detachable cap 8, and it is formed with a conical inner cone 9, also of reticulate material, which at its large lower end is attached to the lower end of the said case 7 At its contracted upper end the cone 9 is provided with a fly passage 10 through which flies may pass readily upward and into the said case 7. This cone 9, however, is not absolutely necessary for the successful operation of the device and in actual usage may be dispensed with.

lVorking in the space between the platform 1 and top plate 3 is a pair of light blades 11, shown. as secured on the ends of arms 12 attached to the lower end of the short shaft 13, which shaft is journaled in a suitable bearing afforded by the plate 3 and by a bracket 14 secured in the latter. The so-called blades 11 are advisably made from small pieces of cloth. The said blades and parts which carry the same, however, may take various forms, inasmuch as the function is to brush or scare flies out of the space between the platform 1 and plate 3 and upward into the reticulate trapping case or cage 7 This device may therefore be broadly designated as a brush or fly agitator.

The space between the platform 1 and plate 3 is normally open at its outer extremity, but is adapted to be closed by a trapping shell or rim 15 preferably constructed of wire screen and made cylindrical in form with its upper edges reinforced by metal stiffening rings 16. The so-called trapping rim 15 fits loosely but quite closely around the top plate 3 and is supported by light links 17 the upper ends of which are attached to the outer ends of levers 18 which levers are intermediately pivoted to bean ings 19 secured on a metal housing 20, which in turn is supported by the top plate The inner ends of the levers 18 are provided with counter weights 21, and are connected by links 22 of a crank pin 23 to the disk 24, which latter is rotatively connected to the housing 20. The weights 21 counterbalance the trapping rim 15. The crank pin 23 is arranged to work in slots 25 formed in the lower ends of the links 22. At apoint diametrically opposite the crank pin 23, the.

disk 24 is formed with a laterally off set segmental friction surface 26, which is adapted to operate. upon a friction wheel 27 secured to the upper end of the shaft 13 I of the. so-called fly agitator and also operatesupon the finger of the shaft 5 The disk or wheel 24 is securedto the front. end of a short horizontal shaft 28 journaled in, a suitable bearing afforded by one side of the housing 20. lVithin the "housin -the shaft 28 is secured to a pinion 29 which as shown meshes with a spur gear 30 connected to a stop wheel 31 having lock notches 32. The pinion 29 is secured to rotate with a. large spur gear 33, which, as

shown, meshes with pinion 34. The pinion ismounted to rotate with a spur gear 35 that meshes with a small spur pinion 36, the shaft. of which carries a rotatively projecting.stop pin 37. Any ordinary clock spring 38is arranged. to drive the wheel 31 and the above described train of gears and pinions, in a directionof the arrows marked in Fig. 3.

The numeral 39 indicates one of the driven shafts of the clock work of ordinary or any suitable construction requiring but slight description for the purposes of this case. Theshaft 39, as shown, however, carries a pinion 40 and a tripping projection 41, and the numerals 42 and 43 indicate other gears of the said clock work. This clock work, it

may be here stated, however, will be driven by means independent of. the spring 38. All of the gears and pinions above described,- are indicatedby dotted lines in Fig. 3 and they i are journaled toany suitable frame work 44.

A threearmed lever is pivoted at 45 to the.

frame work 44. The arms of said lever are indicated by numerals 46, 47, and 48. Thepin37, which is connected for rotation with the pinion 36.

The numeral 50 indicates a wire loop secured to the top of the housing 20 and throughwhich the trapping cage 7 is loosely telescoped.

The operation is substantially as follows Usually some material which will attract flies will be placed upon the platform 1. The flies will therefore collect in the space between the platform 1 and top plate 3, while the. trapping rim 15 is raised and the fly agitator remains stationary. At inter vals of say every five minutes, the clock work driven tripping projection 41 will strike the crooked end of the arm 46 and thereby cause the arms 47 and 48 to release respectively the wheel 31 and pinion 36.

The pinion 36 will in practice usually be connected to a small frame or blade for retarding the speed of-the mechanism driven by the spring 38. Then the said parts 31 and 36 are thus released the spring will rotate the same and the shaft 28 which carries the crank disk or wheel 24. The first effect of rotating the disk 24 is to lower the trapping rim 15 so as to cage the flies in the space between the platform 1 and the top plate 3. As soon as this has been done the friction surface 26. of the disk 24 will come into engagement with the friction wheel 27 of the shaft 13 and the blades of the fly agitator. will then be rotated for a short interval of time, but sufliciently to drive the flies upward through the passage 5 into the reticulate cone. 9 and upward through the passage 10 in the upper extremity thereof into the trapping cage 7. At substantially the same time'the fly agitator starts to operate, the friction surface 26 will engage the operating finger 5 and thereby open the shutter 5 and as soon as the operating surface has passed. the operating. finger 5 the shutter 5 will be closed under the action of the spring, 5. from passing downward through the passage 5 by means of the shutter 5 and hence will accumulate in the cage 7, under repeated automatic actions of the machine just described. The tripping projection 41' will pass into engagement with arm 46 before the second'notch 32 passes thebent end of the arm 47, and hence the said arm will drop into the said notch and for the time being again secure the trapping rim 15 in its raised position and the agitating device in. a stationary position, as shown in the drawings. The slots 25 in the links 22 permit the crank pin 23 topass upwardtherein after the trapping rim has been seated on the platform 1,

The flies will be prevented and hence materially increase the length. of

time the said rim will rest upon the said platform. rest upon the platform throughout all of the time that. the agitating device is in motion, for otherwise the flies would escapedirectly out of the space between the platform and top plate.

The flies caught in the trapping cage 7 may be drowned ordestroyed in any other suitable way, when the saidcage is removed from the machine.

Thedevicedescribed has in practice been.

In fact, the said. rim 15should.

found highly eflicient for the purpose had in view. It may be constructed at comparatively small cost.

What I claim is:

1. In a fly trap, the combination with a collecting platform and a trapping cage, of a fly agitator, and mechanical means for intermittently inclosing the said platform and for operating said fly agitator while the said platform is inclosed, to drive the flies therefrom into the said trapping cage.

2. In a fly trap, the combination with a collecting platform and a trapping cage, having communication through a passage, of a fly agitator a trap rim movable to and from said platform, means for intermittently raising and lowering said trapping rim, means for rotating said agitator, while said trapping rim is lowered on to said platform, and means for intermittently opening and closing said passage.

3. The combination with a platform and an overlying plate, of a trapping cage communicating at its lower end with a fly passage in the said overlying plate, a trapping rim surrounding said overlying plate and movable to and from said platform, a fly agitator rotat-ively mounted in the space between said platform and top plate, spring driven means operative to raise and lower said trapping rim and to rotate said agitator, the rotation of said agitator taking place while said rim is lowered, and clock mechanism for intermittently tripping the said spring actuated mechanism into'action.

4. The combination with a platform and an overlying top plate, the latter having a fly passage, of a trapping cage communicating at its lower end with a fly passage of said top plate, a trapping rim surrounding said top plate and movable to and from said platform, an agitator rotatively mounted in the space between said platform and top plate and having an upwardly extended shaft equipped with a friction wheel, a disk having a crank pin and a friction surface, which latter is operative on the said friction wheel to rotate said agitator, a pair of lovers connected at their outer ends to said trapping rim, and a pair of links attached to the inner ends of said levers and connected to the crank pin of said disk.

5. The combination with a platform and an overlying top plate, the latter having a fly passage, of a trapping cage communieat ing at its lower end with a fly passage of said top plate, a trapping rim surrounding said top plate and movable to and from said platform, an agitator rotatively mounted in be space between said platform and top plate and having an upwardly extended shaft equipped with a frictional wheel, a disk having a crank pin and a friction surface, which latter is operative on the said friction wheel to rotate said agitator, a pair of levers connected at their outer ends to said trapping rim, a pair of links attached to the inner ends of said levers and connected to the crank pin of said disk, and spring actuated timed mechanism for intermittently rotating said disk.

6. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a trapping cage and a normally opened collecting space communicating therewith, of means for inclosing said collecting space, a fly agitator, and mechanism operating intermittently to operate said means for inclosing the collecting space and for operating said agitator, to scare the flies therefrom into said trapping cage.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GREELEY BARR.

"Witnesses:

M. MUMMA, HARRY D. KILoonn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

